Gloves formed of elastic materials find applicability in a variety of applications. These types of gloves may be used as surgical gloves, examination gloves, dishwashing gloves, food service gloves, and the like. Some gloves are designed to be stretched to some degree during normal use. For example, gloves configured as surgical and examination gloves are formed so as to be stretched during donning in order to fit tightly against the hand and provide beneficial gripping and tactile characteristics during use. Gloves have proven to be an effective barrier between the user's hand and the environment, successfully protecting both from cross-contamination.
An exemplary medical procedure that involves the use of gloves is drawing blood samples from a patient. This procedure requires a healthcare provider to locate a blood vein in the patient's arm which may be tapped in order to remove blood from the patient. Locating a vein may be difficult while wearing gloves in that the gloves decrease finger sensitivity because the glove covers the healthcare provider's fingers. One common practice in drawing blood from a patient is for the healthcare provider to rip one finger stall off of the glove in order to expose his or her fingertip. In this manner, the healthcare provider may directly contact the patient's skin in order to more easily locate a vein in the patient's arm. This practice leaves the healthcare provider's finger exposed to possible infected blood contamination.
In the past, designers have constructed gloves having a plurality of openings located at various locations on the glove in order to provide direct contact at these locations. Again, this type of configuration is disadvantagous in that a portion of the user's hand is exposed to possible contamination.
Prior gloves have also been designed with a loose fitting, thicker, tougher material comprising the majority of the glove while the fingertips of the glove are made from a material that provides for a higher tactility. These types of gloves require a high friction element to be incorporated therein in order to retain the portion having the higher tactility on the fingertips of the user. Additionally, the relatively loose fitting, thicker, tougher material that makes up the rest of the glove suffers from poor gripping and tactile characteristics.
The present invention provides for an improved protective glove that has a higher tactility portion so that the user may more easily feel through the glove.